Fishermen hold KWS boat over fish theft claims

Drama ensued in Naivasha’s Karagita area after fishermen clashed with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers accusing them of stealing their fish and nets.

During the incident, the fishermen confiscated a boat used by the three rangers and the allegedly stolen fish accusing the officers of overstepping their mandate.

At one time, the officers were forced to cock their guns as the over 100 fishermen and traders cornered them alleging that the officers had been doing the illegal business for the last one month.

Trouble started after the rangers, using their patrol boat, confiscated over thirty nets and all the harvested fish overnight.

According to the chairman Lake Naivasha Boat Owners Association, David Kilo, the mandate to inspect nets and boats lay with fisheries officers and not KWS.

He said that the trio had on various occasions confiscated the fishermen nets and later sold the fish in the nearby Naivasha Town.

“They have been venturing into the lake every night and either stealing from the fishermen or confiscating their equipment,” he said.

Kilo called on KWS to reign on the officers adding that they would not release the seized boat until disciplinary action was taken.

“We are holding their patrol boat which they have been using to oppress us and steal our fish and we shall release it once action is taken against the errant officers,” he said.

A fisherman, Evans Mukiria, decried the high losses they were incurring after losing their nets on daily basis.

“We have come to realize that KWS officers are involved in our losses and we want action taken against them,” he said.

Speaking on phone, Naivasha sub-county fisheries officer, Nicholas Kagundu, confirmed the incident adding that they were keenly following it up.

“I have received the complaints from the fishermen and we are liaising with our KWS counterparts so that we can amicably resolve the issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, the government has lifted the three-day fishing ban in the troubled lake after a massive clean-up exercise targeting ghost nets.

According to a trader, Mercy Wambui, fishermen had been allowed back into the lake after the clean up exercise.